Tara Young Executive Director of the Petrified Forest Museum Association cuts the ribbon on their new storefront. Members from the association, the Petrified Forest National Park, the Friends of the Petrified Forest Foundation, the community and the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce all came out to celebrate the new space for people to enrich their love for their community’s national park.
Tara Young Executive Director of the Petrified Forest Museum Association cuts the ribbon on their new storefront. Members from the association, the Petrified Forest National Park, the Friends of the Petrified Forest Foundation, the community and the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce all came out to celebrate the new space for people to enrich their love for their community’s national park. Photo by Shawn White
Kendall Cundiff (left) becomes the first customer of The Bend on 66 seen here with her mom Jade Cundiff. Kendall is the great-granddaughter of Jim Gray of Jim Gray’s Petrified Wood Co. and loves petrified wood and spending time in the park. A book of dinosaurs is not the only thing they went home with; they were also presented with a one-year pass into any national park across the country.

The Petrified Forest Museum Association celebrated the grand opening of its new home office, warehouse and educational outlet, The Bend on 66, located at 222 Navajo Blvd. in Holbrook.

Primarily designed to celebrate and support Petrified Forest National Park, The Bend on 66 helps fund several things at the park including community outreach, educational programs, and the production of informational materials about the park. It also serves as a vibrant tribute to the historic Route 66, capturing the iconic road’s unexpected detours, vintage charm and rich desert stories.

The Petrified Forest is the only national park on the Mother Road so they felt it had to celebrate the cross section of these two iconic American institutions. Situated prominently near the intersection of Navajo Blvd. and Arizona Street the space offers visitors park information, educational resources and collectibles that reflect the distinctive retro flair synonymous with historic Route 66.

According to Tara Young, executive director of the Petrified Forest Museum Association, the location’s name reflects its distinct positioning. “It is called ‘The Bend’ because it’s right on one of the only 90-degree turns on Route 66,” Young explained.

During the grand opening, visitors had the chance to explore a variety of books, maps, guides and accessories highlighting Arizona’s natural wonders, national parks and monuments, helping travelers prepare for their next adventure. Park staff specializing in archaeology, paleontology and biology were on hand to examine visitors’ intriguing finds, including strange rocks, potential fossils, or artifacts.

Young emphasized the association’s dedication to ongoing community engagement, stating, “We plan on having educational activities for people every couple of months.” She added, “We hope opening this here helps connect the community more to the park and the people who work there because it’s their community too.”

Attendees were also invited to enter a drawing for a chance to win an annual pass to the national parks.

Following the grand opening, The Bend on 66 will have regular operating hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, providing a continual resource for residents and travelers alike, giving tourists one more place to celebrate all the Petrified Forest has to offer.